I don't know about you, but i'm feeling 25...

it doesn't quite have the same ring to it i guess. sorry Taylor. oh man! birthdays are weird huh? so many mixed emotions! its like, don't give me presents i feel awkward! but i love presents! and lets party! but you don't have to! everyone get together and celebrate me is just the weirdest concept. should we celebrate my mother instead? i don't know! i'm just spazzing and kristen Wiiging out here.

(fists awkwardly shoved in the air shaking)

you know i am so thankful for my life these days. not because its been a ball pit of fun and rainbows, but because i can see the Lord trying to do something great with this mess. and i'm excited to see it too. i love the artist in God. i love to see how he takes ordinary and creates beauty. and i think thats my life. i hope when i die its a masterpiece because i gave him total control of the brushes.

wow i lost feeling in my hand for a sec. its cold in here.

i got so many letters from pen pals this week and let me tell you, if i am thankful for anything today its the beautiful people in my life. you can't even imagine man. i know some incredible humans. people who nudge me in the direction or Christ. or others who give a hearty shove. i am blessed truly. like today, i got on facebook to answer an email and i read one post and was in a puddle. thanks to the nice lady next to me who had tissues. i don't deserve the Love i get. and that makes it even more beautiful.

gosh everything is beautiful today! i want to throw daisies in the air and dance around! but that would be ridiculous and i'm 25 now. ehem. none of that. (wink.)

don't you love lists? well i do! lets make a list! here are things i hope this golden year will be full of! things i declare over it, and hopes i hold for it.

boldness. bravery to speak of Jesus and to pray for strangers. boldness in adventure and making things happen. boldness and bravery in loving people and speaking truth. boldness in making friends and keeping up with old ones.

kindness. the kind my heavenly father has for me. loving kindness in all my relationships and the strength to be kind even when i don't want to.

Mercy. given to others like i am given time and time again.

donuts. may they be good and numerous.

adventurous. should be easy hehe.

trust. let me trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding.

gratefulness. because i have so much every day to be thankful for. let me remember this often.

humbleness. let me remember that i am a worm and yet God calls me a friend.

toughness. that i will have a thick skin to insults and toughness to push through when things get hard.

tenderness. when the Spirit convicts and i am hurting. let me hurt knowing there is a purpose and change into what God wants me to be.

coffee. let it be surrounded by people i love and let there be a lot of it.

worship. let me worship in spirit and in truth. with my whole heart.

hilarity. i hope to giggle a lot and have moments filled with awkwardness and snort-laughing. i want to smile a lot and make others smile as well.

family. i want to treasure the time whenever i'm with them. however long or short it may be.

camping. a lot of it.

painting. more of it. more time to be creative and use the gifts Gods given me.

authenticity. enough said.

travels. new and been there done that. faces and hugs and joyful reunions alongside sights and people i've never met.

rejoicing. in small things. small victories and big ones. rejoicing in good times and in bad times.

dancing. in delight and pure joy.

awareness. let me live remembering i will never be 25 again and to make it all count.

silliness. because right next to Jesus, its the center of who i actually am. let me be silly to the glory of God.

well look at that. 25 things on the list! i hope you have the most wonderful day. i'm going to keep editing this wedding and then eat pizza. thanks for reading and thanks for being my pals. i treasure you. i really do. you're all gems. i leave you with a quote...

Hi, i'm abbey!

i'm a wedding photographer who likes to carry my camera around in my purse. i love to travel & drink (decaf) coffee, eat donuts from all around this beautiful country, and make new friends. i would love to know you so pretty please say hi.

“we had the most wonderful time that we couldn’t go back to our regular lives, and so we decided we just wouldn’t. and then all the greatness began."